§ Mr. DalyellTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many prosecutions there have been under the Noxious Weeds Act 1959 since 1972; and what assessment she has made of the Act's effectiveness. [57250]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 11 June 2002]: Records of enforcement activity under the Weeds Act 1959 going back to 1972 are not readily available. However, it is rarely necessary to invoke the formal powers of the Act and I can confirm that there have been no prosecutions in the last five years.
The fact that there have not been prosecutions does not mean the Act has been ineffective. The Act puts the onus on landowners to control the spread of injurious weeds from their land. DEFRA investigates each complaint about injurious weeds on its merits, but gives priority to complaints where there is a threat to farmland, farming activities and on farm diversified equine activities. Once DEFRA officials have made the occupier of land aware of the presence of injurious weeds, the matter can usually be resolved satisfactorily through co-operation and advice, without taking statutory action.